NEW ORLEANS – Following a runner-up showing at its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championships, the Suffolk men's cross country team moved up to ninth the East Region in the latest United State track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Coaches Poll, the national organization announced Tuesday afternoon.
Suffolk made the program's regional ranking debut in the first poll of 2021 Sept. 14 and has been present in the weekly regional rankings ever since.
The Rams jumped ahead of Brandeis after taking second in at the CCC Championship meet Saturday, Oct. 30 at Western New England. In Springfield, Matyas Csiki-Fejer anchored the Rams to a combined 55 points to finish behind the 2021 CCC Champion Roger Williams (35). The senior captain cruised to CCC Runner of the Year status after outing running his opponents by over two minutes with a 25:00 8k. He was one of three Suffolk student-athletes to grab All-CCC recognition along with his co-captain Nic Malm and freshman Thomas Novy, who finished fourth and 15th at the event, respectively.
With the conference championship race behind them, the Rams will now concentrate on the 2021 NCAA Division III East Regional Race that is on tap Saturday, Nov. 13. Suffolk will host the event at Franklin Park.
The USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Coaches' Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams' strengths with current season results, when applicable, in determining in a rank-order by squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking. The weekly regional ranking by the USTFCCCA began in 2010.